Couple welcoming son's return is found slain

August 08, 2009

After eight long years separated from their youngest son, Geraldine Simmons and Bernard Smith planned to celebrate his release from a Georgia prison with his favorite meal of catfish and mustard greens Saturday.

They never got the chance.

A neighbor found Simmons, 63, and Smith, 70, shot to death in the basement of their home in the 10000 block of South Eberhart Avenue in the city's Roseland neighborhood Saturday morning, relatives said.

A family member dropped off their son Friday night at the house, but the family hasn't seen him since, said Renesa Peterson, one of the couple's daughters.

"I had all the food ready to take over there, but I couldn't get hold of my parents on the phone, so I called and asked the neighbor to knock on their door and see if they were OK," Peterson said Saturday afternoon. "The neighbor found the back door open -- he went in and found them dead in the basement."

As police bagged and removed evidence from the home, stunned relatives who had planned to celebrate the prison release instead were mourning.

Simmons and Smith, who had six children and 13 grandchildren, were devoted to their son, said Deborah Simmons, another daughter.

"He was the youngest and they did everything for him," she said. "They were looking forward to seeing him so much."

Records show the son was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2001 for aggravated assault in Georgia.

He was released on parole this week, according to Deborah Simmons, who said she picked her brother up from the Greyhound bus stop on 95th Street on Friday night and took him to his parents' home -- a condition of his parole.

She said her brother met with a parole officer Friday night and was excited to be free. But she also said he seemed "on edge" and argued bitterly with his parents about his plans once they arrived at the family home.

"They wanted him to go back to school and even bought him a laptop, but he wanted to be a rapper or a video star," she added.

Smith always believed his son was innocent of the charges that sent him to prison, Peterson said.